


Accidentally In Love

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: Buddie Prompts [7]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Blind Date, First Kiss, Fluff, Jealous Eddie, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Podfic Available
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-28 04:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20419826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Eddie sets Buck up on a blind date with a friend of his. Buck goes thinking it's what Eddie wants. It doesn't work out, with the date quickly realizing that Buck is in love with Eddie. As the two glow closer as friends, Eddie assumes they're dating and is left to deal with the growing realization that his feelings for Buck might not be a platonic as he thought.





	Accidentally In Love

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ithinkwehaveanemergency](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ithinkwehaveanemergency/gifts).

> For Adri, who gave me a prompt for this months ago. It was the first fic I started writing for them, and despite my desire to write it the words have been battling me, but it's finally done and ready to be out in the world.

Buck checks his watch for the fifth time since arriving at the restaurant. There’s still a few minutes before he was told to be here. So his date isn’t exactly late. But he still can’t help the way he fidgets nervously, wondering if she’s going to show up at all. He wouldn’t blame her for bailing. Blind dates aren’t for everyone. Hell, Buck’s not even sure they’re for him anymore. But Eddie had seemed to think he’d like this woman. And some part of him hadn’t wanted to disappoint him. So here he is.

It’s one minute until 8 when a woman matching Eddie’s description walks up. She is pretty, Buck will give her that. She looks around the restaurant before her eyes land on Buck. She smiles shyly as she approaches. 

“Evan?”

Buck nods, “That’s me, but you can call me Buck. You must be Lucy.”

She nods, “I am. It’s nice to meet you. Sorry if I’m late. I got off work later than I’d hoped and then traffic was a bitch.”

“You were actually still one minute early,” Buck tells her. “So you had excellent timing.”

“For once in my life.”

Buck laughs. “So ready to get our table?”

“Please, I’m starving.”

“Good because this place has amazing food and you’ll want to have your appetite,” Buck tells her.

“Well you don’t have to worry about that,” Lucy tells him. “I barely remembered to eat today so I’m certainly going to enjoy this.”

"Well then I'm sure you'll love it whether the food is good or not," Buck laughs. "Though it will be. I promise."

"I believe you," she says. 

They get seated soon after that. Buck orders a beer and so does she. When Buck raises an eyebrow, she shrugs. "What? Were you expecting me to drink wine because I'm a woman?" When Buck starts sputtering out an apology, she laughs. "Relax. I'm kidding. I do drink wine. But sometimes you just want to have a beer after a long day."

"Yeah I feel that," Buck says, relaxing back into his seat. 

"I imagine you do with your job," she says. 

Their drinks arrive and they order their food. 

“So how long have you known Eddie?” Buck asks, taking a sip of his beer.

“Since he and Christopher moved in,” she replies. “I live right down the street. So I went over and brought them cookies.”

She smiles and Buck has no doubt she’s thinking about Christopher. It’s just the look people get when he comes up.

“He’s a great kid,” Buck says. 

“He is,” Lucy agrees. “And so cute.”

“The cutest,” Buck says, unable to keep the smile off his face. “And so smart and independent. I doubt I was half as smart as he is at his age. This one time…”

It’s easy for Buck to talk about Christopher and Eddie. He has so many stories. He doesn’t think anything about it. It’s something he and Lucy have in common. A way to keep the conversation going. That’s all. So what if he spends 40 minutes talking about him?

"Oh sweetie,” she says, looking at him with pity. “I'm so sorry. I know Eddie is oblivious, but you're... you're not even _ trying _ to hide that you're in love with him."

Buck sputters and shakes his head, the denial on the tip of his tongue. But it won’t come out. Because she’s not wrong. Buck doesn’t know when it happened, but somewhere along the way he fell in love with Eddie. 

“I’m sorry for wasting your time,” he tells her.

Lucy just smiles, “It’s fine. How about you buy me a platonic dinner to make up for it and listen to me complain about the guy I’m trying to get over?”

Buck smiles and clanks his bottle with hers, “Deal.”

* * *

Eddie watches as Buck gets out of the car. Lucy's car. It's not that he didn't know they talked. But it's the first time he's seen them together. Seeing the way Buck is smiling at her as he leans into the car has his stomach twisting. 

He doesn't know why. Lucy was one of the first friends he made when he moved here. That's all they are. 

_ Except you're not feeling this way because of Lucy, _ his mind unhelpfully supplies. He pushes the thought away. It's ridiculous. He's not feeling any way about anyone. 

He looks away when Buck turns towards the station, pretending to be looking at something on his phone. He only looks up when Buck claps him on the shoulder. Now he's under the full weight of that smile and suddenly it's a little harder to breathe.

"Hey man," Buck says, oblivious to Eddie's current issues with getting oxygen to his lungs. 

Eddie just nods back. He can't speak. He doesn't trust his voice. 

Buck frowns and Eddie mentally kicks himself. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Eddie says, thankful when his voice comes out sounding normal. "Yeah man." He nods his head towards the front of the station, and though Lucy's car is long gone. "So you and Lucy have been spending a lot of time together."

Buck grins, "Yeah she's amazing. I really owe you for introducing us."

Eddie does his best to smile, "Yeah of course. I'm glad you two hit it off."

"So well," Buck says, starting to walk backwards towards the stairs. "It's nice to just have someone to spend time with." He stops, snapping his fingers. "Hey. We should all get drinks sometime. I know she'd like to see you. And meet everyone else."

"Yeah sure," Eddie says. "Just tell me when so I can make sure I have someone to watch Chris."

Buck frowns at that. Just as quickly the smile is back. "You know what? We should just do dinner so you can bring him."

"Really?"

Buck nods. "Yeah of course. I love spending time with him."

Eddie knows that. Christopher loves spending time with Buck as well. Buck's his friend. His best friend if he's being honest. So of course he'd want to include Christopher. 

"I'll have to talk to Lucy but maybe we can do it this weekend," Buck suggests. 

"Sounds good."

"Awesome. I'll go tell everyone else."

Eddie has no doubt they'll agree. They've all been curious about Lucy ever since she and Buck went on their first date. That had been weeks ago. 

Weeks of Buck talking about how amazing Lucy is and all the things they've been doing together. He doesn't talk about her like any of the other girls he's dated. Eddie assumes it's because they're friends and he doesn't want it to be weird. 

Eddie feels weird on the days leading up to the dinner. He doesn't know why. It's just dinner with his friends. They've had lots of nights like this one.

He ignores the voice that tells him this is different. He doesn't want to think about it. 

So he gets himself and Christopher dressed and drives them to the restaurant. Everyone else is already there when they take their seats, right across from Buck and Lucy. 

Lucy smiles over at them, "It's good to see you two again. Especially you Christopher. You just keep growing."

"I want to be tall like dad," Christopher says. 

Eddie smiles and ruffles his hair, "Keep growing like you are and you'll be taller."

Christopher grins. 

"I ordered you a water," Buck tells him. "I didn't think you'd want to drink with Chris. But if you want something else…"

"Water's fine," Eddie tells him, ignoring the way his heart flips at the fact that Buck knows him so well. 

Lucy leans in to whisper something into Buck's ear and Buck's face heats up. 

"Please tell me you two aren't being dirty over there," Maddie says. "Actually I don't want to know."

Buck shakes his head and takes a sip of his water. Eddie tries to focus on the flow of conversation and not the little touches and whispers that keep passing between Lucy and Buck. 

It doesn't matter. Except the more he tries to tell himself he doesn't care, the more he realizes how wrong he is. 

Buck makes a joke Eddie misses, his face scrunching up as he smiles. It's one of Eddie's favorite looks on him. 

Lucy laughs and leans her head on Buck's shoulder, "God I love you."

Eddie stands abruptly, with enough force to send his chair scraping loudly against the floor of the restaurant. He'd be embarrassed about the stares it gets him if he didn't feel like his heart was being ripped into a thousand pieces. 

Christopher grabs his arm, "Dad?"

"Sorry," Eddie says, hating the way his voice cracks on the word. "Sorry bud. I just...I need to get some air. I'll be right back."

Eddie flees. He ignores the sound of Buck's voice calling his name as he pushes his way out of the restaurant. He can't be there. Not when he feels like this. Like his chest is constricting and his throat is closing up. He can feel tears stinging at his eyes and he hates it. 

He leans against the wall and presses his fists against his eyes. He's so stupid. It's taken him this long to realize how he feels and now he knows it's too late. He can't say anything. Not knowing how happy Buck and Lucy are. That she _ loves _ him. 

That forces a slightly hysterical laugh from Eddie. "I'm a fucking idiot."

"I'm sure that's true on some level, but I'm curious what you're referring to this time," Buck says, his voice startling Eddie. 

Eddie lowers his hands, looking over at him with wide eyes. "Buck…"

"Does it have something to do with why you caused a scene and ran out of the restaurant?" Buck asks. He's closer now, standing almost in front of him. 

Eddie grimaces, "Sorry about that. That was… it's nothing."

"Dude, you're out here crying," Buck says, not that Eddie needs the reminder. "It's something."

"It's not okay? So can you please just drop it?"

"No, I can't. You're my best friend!"

Buck takes another step closer. Eddie hates that he's against the wall because now he's essentially trapped. 

"And that's the problem!" Eddie shouts.

"Being my friend is a problem?"

Eddie feels like his head has gone fuzzy. Buck's too close. He can't think like this. He can't control his thoughts or his words. 

"It is when I feel like this."

"How do you feel?" 

Eddie gives a bitter laugh "Are you really going to make me say it? Haven't I made a fool of myself enough tonight? Hasn't my heart been broken enough?"

He hadn't meant to say that last part. But words are just spilling out. 

Buck frowns. "I need to hear it. I need to understand, Eddie. How has your heart been broken tonight? Is it Lucy? Do you have feelings for her?"

"It's not Lucy! It's you, damn it! I'm in love with _ you _!" Eddie gives a slightly breathless laugh. The words are out there now, for better or worse. "I love you, Evan. And I know you're with Lucy and you're happy. So I don't expect you to…"

He freezes when a pair of warm lips cover his. It takes a moment for his body to react to the realization that Buck is kissing him. His lips moving against his. His tongue licking into his mouth. Eddie groans and moves his hands to his hips in an effort to bring him closer. 

Then he stills, pulling back with a gasp. "Lucy."

"Is an amazing woman," Buck says. "But she's just a friend."

"What?" 

"We're friends," Buck tells him. "We realized it wouldn't work when I spent all of our first date talking about Christopher and she called me out on being in love with you."

Eddie's brain tries to process this information. This whole time he's thought Buck was dating Lucy. But he's been wrong. And Buck…

"You love me?"

Buck smiles, soft and fond. "I love you, Eddie Diaz."

This time when Buck kisses him Eddie doesn't hesitate before pulling him closer. He wraps and arm around his back and pulls him flush against him. Buck smiles against his lips. 

Eddie gets lost in it. The feeling of Buck in his arms. The noises he makes. The way he tastes. The sound of clapping coming from nearby. 

"Someone's celebrating," Buck murmurs against his lips.

Eddie moves back enough to glance towards the sound and almost jumps. Christopher is there with Maddie, Chimney, Hen, Lucy, Bobby, and Athena.

Christopher grins and comes up to them. Eddie pulls away so that he can scoop him up into his arms. "What are you doing out here?"

"We wanted to make sure you talked," Christopher tells him. 

"And it certainly looks like you did," Maddie smirks. 

"And more," Hen adds. 

"Thank God for that," Lucy says. "Buck's been insufferable with all his pining."

"Hey!" 

Lucy just laughs at Buck's outburst, "Oh come on. You know it's true. I'm just glad Eddie's jealousy was enough to wake the both of you up." She points a finger at Eddie before he can protest. "And don't you try to deny it either."

Eddie's not about to deny it. He's done with all that. He's just lucky things sorted themselves out in the end. 

He looks down at Christopher, "Want to head home?"

"Is Buck coming?" Christopher asks.

Eddie looks over at Buck, "That's up to him."

Buck smiles and puts his arm around his waist, "I can't think of any place I'd rather be."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/Comments make my day♥  
[My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Accidentally in Love (PODFIC)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22695907) by [ToughPaperRound](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToughPaperRound/pseuds/ToughPaperRound)


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